Section 43-34-22. Practicing medicine without a license; titles and abbreviations; exceptions

   (a) If any person shall hold himself or herself out to the public as being engaged in the diagnosis or treatment of disease or injuries of human beings, or shall suggest, recommend, or prescribe any form of treatment for the palliation, relief, or cure of any physical or mental ailment of any person, with the intention of receiving therefor, either directly or indirectly, any fee, gift, or compensation whatsoever, or shall maintain an office for the reception, examination, or treatment of diseased or injured human beings, or shall attach the title "M.D.," "Oph.," "D.," "Dop.," "Surgeon," "Doctor," "D.O.," "Doctor of Osteopathy," "Osteopathic Physician," or "Physician," either alone or in connection with other words, or any other word or abbreviation to his or her name indicative that he or she is engaged in the treatment of diseased, defective, or injured human beings, and shall not in any of these cases then possess a valid license to practice medicine under the laws of this state, he or she shall be deemed to be practicing medicine without complying with this article and shall be deemed in violation of this article.

(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit:

   (1) Gratuitous services in cases of emergency;

   (2) The practice of the religious tenets or general beliefs of any church whatsoever;

   (3) The requiring of a fee for examination by opticians, at their established places of business, who do not prescribe or use drugs or medicines or attach to their names titles indicative that any such persons are engaged in the practice of medicine, as defined in this article;

   (4) The performance of their duties for the federal government by federal physicians, both military and civilian;

   (5) The consultation on special cases approved by the board in this state of regularly licensed physicians from other states or territories;

   (6) The licensed practice of dentistry, optometry, psychology, podiatry, or chiropractic;

   (7) The licensed practice of midwifery or nursing;

   (8) The utilization of a physician assistant to perform tasks approved by the board, and the performance of such tasks by the physician assistant; the delegation by a physician to a qualified person other than a physician assistant of any acts, duties, or functions which are otherwise permitted by law or established by custom; and the performance of such acts, duties, or functions by such a person other than a physician assistant; or

   (9) The performance of:

      (A) Any medical task by a student enrolled in a medical school, osteopathic medical school, or physician assistant training program approved by the board;

      (B) Any dental task by a student enrolled in a dental college approved by the Georgia Board of Dentistry; or

      (C) Any nursing task by a student enrolled in a nursing program approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing

where any such task is performed under the supervision of an authorized instructor lawfully licensed in this state to perform such tasks.

(c) Nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing any person holding a valid license as a Doctor of Osteopathy on March 16, 1970, from engaging in the practice of osteopathy as the same was practiced by such person at such time, subject to biennial renewal of his or her license. Such limited renewal licenses shall not authorize the practice of obstetrics or surgery other than the minor suturing of cuts.

Ga. L. 1913, p. 101, § 6; Ga. L. 1918, p. 173, § 4; Code 1933, § 84-906; Ga. L. 1970, p. 301, § 4; Ga. L. 1972, p. 673, § 1; Code 1981, § 43-34-26; Ga. L. 1993, p. 355, § 5; Ga. L. 2004, p. 379, § 1; Code 1981, § 43-34-22, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2009, p. 859, § 1/HB 509.